Improvement in stream or river-fences



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H, A. K'EPHART, OF' FLETGHER, 01110. Letters Patent No. 73,345, clatedJanuary 14, 1868.-

IMPRQVEMENT IN STREAM O R RIVER-'EhTGES.`

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY GONCERN:

i Be it known that I, H. A. KEPHAIT, of Fletcher, in the county ofMiami, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and iinproved Stream or.River-Fenee; and I do hereby deolare that the following is a full andexact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the -a'rtto. make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to the letters of reference` marked thereon:

This inven'tion'relates toa new and improved fence, of that classdesigned to be placed across rivcrs and streams. i i I The inventionconsists'in a novel construction and arrangement of parts, whereby dueprovision is made against thepassage of 'earth or animals around theends of the fenee when the stream or river is low. In the accompanyingsheet of drawiugs- Figure lis a. side view of my improved fence, put upor eredted across a river or stream. Figure 2,8. transverse Verticalsectionof the same, taken in the line 'y y, tig. 1. Similar letters ofreference indicate 'like parts. i n

This fence is composed of wooden sill-pieces A, secured to rocks a orother fixtures, such as piles or posts. In most cases it would bepreferable to secure the sill-pieces toirocks, by means of bolts orstaples, fitted in'holes drilled in the rocks. These sill-peoes areplaced at any suitable distance apart, and have slats 'B nailedorotherwise secured-to them, the sill-pieces being placed, one a triflehigher than the other, so that the slats will have a somewhatinelinedposition longitudinally with the river or stream, the inostelevated ends of the slats being down stream." The rocks a, 01' othersupports for the sill-picces, are sufliciently high to have the slats B,at their lower or depressed ends, at least a foot from the bed or bottomof the river or stream. To the underisides of the slats B there issuspended by staples or other suitable joints, b, a wooden beam, O, towhich slats D are nailed or otherwise secnred'. These slats, D, extendupward between the slats, B, of the sill-pieces A, and the beam C servesas a counterpoise.- Another. beam, O',.may be attached to the lower'endsof the slats D, for the samepurpose.

v iThese'beams serve to keep the slats D elevated; still, they are notdesigned to prevent said slats from yield.i ing 'orf'giviug to admit ofdrift-wood Yfreely passiug them. The slats B serve as a barrier to thepassage'of eattle or ihiorses, even when the bed of the river or streamon which their sill-pieces rest is perfectly dry, and theuslat's'B, inconnectionv with the slats D, which are fully elevated when the streamor river is low, render the' p'a'ssage' of cattle or other animals overthem utterly impossible.

v Having thus described my nvention, I claim as new, and desire tosecure `by Letters Patent-- I The sill-pieees A A, secured in' position,as shown, or 4in any equivalent way, and having the slats B iattached,in Iconnection with thecounterpoised s1ats D, arrange'd substa-utiallyin the manner as and for the purpose speci'fied.

Theiabovespecification of 'my invention signed by me, this eighth day ofAugust, 1867.

H. A. KEPHART.

Witnesses: e i

' S, O, Johns,

WMQ H vJ'Isnor.

